Kenya: Southern Circuit and Beaches

Arrive at Nairobi airport and travel by private vehicle to your hotel.

East Africa’s largest city, Nairobi allows you to immerse yourself in modern urban Africa. From colourful street markets and authentic cuisine to lively nightlife, there is a lot on offer. Visit the National Museum for insight into the region. Delve into Kenya’s history at the Karen Blixen Museum. 

Get up close to giraffes at the Giraffe Centre, and meet orphaned baby elephants and cheetahs at the David Sheldrick Centre. Take a scenic stroll in the Ngong Hills, and for a one-of-a-kind experience spot wild lions, with the city’s skyscrapers as your backdrop, in Nairobi National Park.

The Maasai Way: Your Day at a Traditional Village

Experience the Maasai way of life on a day trip from Nairobi. After an early breakfast at your hotel, travel with your English-speaking guide to a traditional Maasai village. Meet the warriors and join them in herding cattle. Witness the ritual of cattle blood letting against the stunning Kenyan landscape. 

Walk through the village of mud-and-wattle huts, or manyattas. Enjoy traditional song and dance by Maasai women and children. Then share a cup of tea with a village elder and learn about Maasai customs and beliefs. You’ll also help build a new manyatta, after which you will have a light, home-cooked lunch. In the afternoon, learn how to make traditional Maasai jewellery, and take home a handmade piece as a souvenir.

Drive to Amboseli, which is a 4-5 hour journey. 

Amboseli National Park, in Kenya’s Kajiado County, covers just 151 square miles but sits within the vast 3,000-square-mile Greater Amboseli ecosystem. Just 30 miles southeast, Mount Kilimanjaro dominates the skyline. Its melting snow feeding marshes like Enkongo Narok and Ol Tukai. 

The park is famed for its elephants. These are some of Africa’s largest tuskers and have been central to a 50-year-long wild behaviour study. You’ll also spot hippos in the wetlands, herds of zebra, wildebeest, and buffalo, and predators including lions, cheetahs, and leopards. With over 400 bird species, Amboseli is a haven for birdwatchers. 

Ol Tukai Lodge: Morning & Evening Game Drives

Go on game drives with an experienced guide at one of Kenya’s most iconic game parks while staying at Ol Tukai Lodge. Get up-close with wildlife and discover the small wonders of nature. Your safari will also include plenty of bird watching opportunities. While Lake Amboseli attracts flocks of flamingo, heron and kestrel during the wet season, you’re sure to spot the famed shoebill, along with bustards, sand grouse and myriad birds of prey anytime of the year.

Tawi Lodge: Morning, Evening, & Night Game Drives, Bushwalks, & Camel Rides

Spot large herds of elephants and other wildlife on game drives, bushwalks, and camel rides from Tawi Lodge. Set on a 3,000-acre private conservancy next to Amboseli National Park, this is one of Kenya’s top wildlife areas. 

Head out in a private vehicle for early morning or late afternoon game drives, when the animals are most active. Keep your camera ready for silhouettes against Mount Kilimanjaro, and enjoy a bush sundowner on evening game drives. Night drives offer the chance to spot elusive nocturnal animals. 

You could also join a morning bushwalk with a Maasai guide to learn about animal tracking and the traditional uses of herbs and barks. For something different, explore the conservancy on a camel ride.

Drive to Tsavo West. This is a 3-4 hour drive.

Experience the wild beauty of Africa in Tsavo West, one of the continent’s most scenic parks. Its rugged mountains, grasslands, swamps, and escarpments are home to rich wildlife, especially around waterholes in the dry season. 

Highlights here include the Shetani Caves and lava flow, Roaring Rock, Poacher’s Lookout, the Rhino Sanctuary, and spotting hippos at the crystal-clear Mzima Springs. Chyulu Hills National Park nearby offers stunning views of Kilimanjaro. 

Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge: Morning & Evening Game Drives

Explore the beauty and diverse landscapes of Tsavo West on exciting game drives. Mornings and evenings are the best times of the day to see the animals that inhabit this area as they are at their most active. Spot a variety of wildlife and learn about their habitats and behaviour. Your guide will also point out interesting birds and plant life.

Drive to Lumo Community Wildlife Sanctuary. This is a 3-4 hour journey.

Lumo Conservancy, on the edge of Tsavo West in Kenya, was founded by three rangers in 1997 and acts as a key wildlife corridor between Kenya’s Tsavo Conservation Area and Tanzania’s Mkomazi National Park. With the magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro serving as a backdrop, the conservancy is home to buffalo, elephant, lion, cheetah, and giraffe. 

Soroi Lions Bluff Lodge: Morning & Evening Game Drives

While staying at the tranquil Soroi Lions Bluff Lodge, explore Lumo Conservancy and the wider Tsavo Conservation Area on game drives in custom 4x4s with expert rangers. Cross semi-arid plains dotted with acacia and baobab trees, where elephants are almost always spotted, along with lions, kudu, eland, impala, and Grant’s gazelle. Stop to enjoy scenic views and birdwatching along the way. 

At dusk, head out on a night drive with spotlights to catch buffalo, hartebeest, and antelope at waterholes. Look out for crocodiles, hippos, and elusive nocturnal animals like aardvarks, aardwolves, serval cats, and hyenas.

Go on a 5-6 hour car journey to reach the Kenyan Coast.

Kenya’s coast is a beach lover’s dream. Think powder-white sand, the turquoise Indian Ocean, and peaceful stretches far from the crowds. With Mombasa as its capital, this area has some of the world’s most stunning beaches. Explore rocky outcrops, coral patches, and sandy bays at spots like Diani, Galu, Tiwi, Msambweni, and Malindi. Enjoy surfing, snorkelling, deep-sea fishing, sunset dhow cruises, birdwatching, and guided forest walks as well.

Explore South Coast on your own

Immerse yourself in Kenya’s beautiful South Coast. Head out from your hotel and choose from islands, beaches, and water sports. Discover Mombasa Island’s colonial heritage, browse the lively local market, and visit the 16th-century Fort Jesus, a UNESCO site. 

Stroll through Haller Park, a free-roaming animal sanctuary, and see the iconic Mombasa Tusks on Moi Avenue. Try deep-sea fishing for black marlin at Watamu, or sail on a traditional dhow to Wasini Island with stops for snorkelling, diving, and dolphin or whale watching. Head to Diani Beach for kayaking, kite surfing, jet skiing, or windsurfing, then unwind with a sunset cruise and seafood dinner before wrapping up for the day.